Confirmed: £8.9m-rated creative midfielder will play for Arsenal next season

Arsene Wenger has revealed that England star midfielder Jack Wilshere will be at the Emirates next season.

Jack Wilshere failed to nick a place in the midfield of Arsenal and was sent on a season long loan to Bournemouth last season. For the first time in a long while, Wilshere stayed fit for more than half of the Premier League season – he featured in 29 League games for the Cherries before his impressive season was scuppered by an injury.

The 25-year-old midfielder is back at Arsenal but is currently behind Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka in the selection pecking order. He has been heavily linked with a move to Seria A side Sampdoria for £8.9m but Arsene Wenger appear to have handed him a chance to shine.

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With Just one year left to see out his current contract, Wilshere has to fight for his place in the Gunners team, claims Arsene Wenger.

“When he returns, he won’t be far from practising with the team,” Wenger said.

“He has to work hard to come back and fight for a place in the team.”

He added: “I think Jack will be with Arsenal next season, yes.”

He will have to displace Granit Xhaka in the middle of the pack for Arsenal but his ability to stay fit may prove a huge barrier.

Wilshere is an Arsenal academy graduate but he announced himself for Arsenal’s senior team against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the September of 2008 when he came on for Robin Van Persie in the 84th minutes. No doubt, Wilshere has quality but injuries have always being his undoing.